Temen-ni-gru



The Temen-ni-gru is an unholy tower constructed by devil worshippers. Originally sealed by Sparda deep underground, Arkham and Vergil have resurrected it in the present day.

Before Devil May Cry 3
It was sealed two thousand years in a complex ritual requiring Sparda to confiscate the names of demons who resemble fallen angels representing the seven deadly sins, imprison the tower's 7 gatekeepers, and seal away Leviathan as well as his own demonic power. Sparda, in the depths of the tower, let flow his own blood and that of a pure priestess, sealing the tower and his own accursed power. As an added level of security, Sparda also created the Perfect Amulet and split it in two such that both halves would be needed to awaken the Sword of Sparda.

Devil May Cry 3
Arkham explains to Vergil that resurrecting the tower is the way to obtain his father's ultimate power, so they begin to undo the seals Sparda placed on the tower. Vergil first renames the fallen angels, and then sends Arkham, along with some demons, to persuade Dante to come to the tower so that he can complete the Amulet. Soon after, they raise the tower and begin the rituals to awaken it. Arkham's daughter, Lady, is also enticed to enter the tower, but Arkham keeps her importance as a descendant of the priestess a secret from Vergil, who works on undoing Sparda's spell in the "Lair of Judgment", a sacrificial chamber at the bottom of the tower. Meanwhile, the mysterious demon Jester leads Dante to Vergil, with Dante slaying all the gatekeepers in his way.

Vergil places the completed Amulet in the control panel and begins bloodletting himself, but is unsuccessful in undoing the final seal. When Dante intrudes upon him, he attacks Dante in the hope that more of "Sparda's blood" will solve the problem, but nothing happens until Lady joins the fight and Arkham arrives. He reveals his identity as Jester, and that the final key to the seal is Lady's blood. After undoing the seal, he stalls the three fighters, taunting them for falling right into his trap, until the Tower activates and they fall off the central platform. As the platform rises through the tower, collecting huge, demonic bells representing the seven sins, the others race to the top to stop Arkham. However, he reaches the peak of the tower and calls upon the sins in a chant which unseals the final door to the Demon World. As the demonic bells ring and Blood-goyles flock around him, Arkham rises into the Demon World and takes the Force Edge, assuming Sparda's form and power. Although the portal to the Demon World has been shut closed it is unknown what happens to the Temen-ni-gru after Devil May Cry 3 as it is the last place seen where Dante returns Lady's bazooka.

First Floor

 * Ice Guardian's Chamber - the only way to the main Temen-ni-gru, a room covered in thick ice, which became enterable from 13th Avenue. Here Cerberus is chained, protecting the entrance to Chamber of Echoes. Dante defeated Cerberus here and acquired his namesake weapon, but not before Cerberus sealed the exit with a wall of ice. Dante also met Lady here for the first time, who entered by breaking through the upper part of the wall on her bike. Her rocket, shot in Dante's direction, made a hole in the ceiling, which was used by her to proceed.




 * Chamber of Echoes (first floor) - a tall, open hall that is accessed from Ice Guardian's Chamber. It has a skeletal angel statue in the bottom and three stages of partially broken spiral roundwalks. The Vajura is located on a third stage, but the way to it and to the upper part is blocked by the walls. They slide into the main wall when Astronomical Board is placed on the second floor. This also activates a Jump Pad in the bottom. There are also a blue door and a red one, that lead to western and eastern Entranceway respectively, but the latter is blocked by wall of fire, that can be extinguished by Siren's Shriek. An elevator shaft is also here, but the elevator can only be brought from Lift Room.




 * Entryway (west) - a corridor that connects Chamber of Echoes and Cursed Skull Chamber. There is a dead end that seems to be used as a small storage. Gold Orb and multiple destructible objects is located there. The door that leads to this room is surrounded by flames, that must be extinguished by Siren's Shriek to proceed.




 * Cursed Skull Chamber - a room, accessed through western Entryway, which at first look resembles a dead end where a wall with skulls blocks the way immediately. It, however, can be easily smashed to reveal a small room with a switch that lowers a cage with skulls. If it is destroyed before it returns to the top, a Crystal Skull can be received from it.




 * Entryway (east) - a curving corridor that has ark ceiling and is lit by multiple torches that connects the Chambers of Echoes with the Living Statue Room. Multiple Hell Prides or Lusts (depending of difficulty) will always spawn there




 * Living Statue Room - a room with many Enigma-like statues, that may serve as the demon production facility. Some of them are dormant husks and some are actually Enigmas. It is accessed through eastern Entryway and leads to Silence Statuary. Here the Vajura can be placed in a mechanism to open a cage with the Soul of Steel inside.




 * Silence Statuary - an elevator room, accessed from Living Statue room, with many non-animated chessmen, some of which are standing right on the lift surface. To power up the shaft, the player must activate the trigger wheel. However, the chess pieces' weight prevents the player from lifting up a huge elevator in the room, and must be destroyed with melee weapons, also yielding red orbs. A Red Orb Crystal is located in the unseen corner of the room.




 * Chamber of Sins - a dark sewer-like room with piles of bones without any normal means of entry or exit. Dante falls here from Endless Infernum and has to fight all the demons in order to unlock teleport leading back to Endless Infernum.

Second Floor

 * Chamber of Echoes (second floor) - the upper portion of the room, which consists of three spiral roundwalks, which form three mini-floors, just like on the first floor. Passage between this one and the first one is blocked by walls. There are exits to Incandescent Space via green door and Endless Infernum via yellow one. There is a big clock-like mechanism on the wall with glowing hyerogliphs behind it. In the highest point of the chamber, beside the mechanism, is a pedestal for the Astronomical Board. If it is placed there, the wall, preventing passage between floors will be removed and Jump Pad is activated downstairs.




 * Incandescent Space (a.k.a. Astral Chamber) - a room with some gear-like looking mechanisms, where Hell Gluttonies are first met by Dante. It can be accessed from Chamber of Echoes or Silence Statuary (via elevator). A small area of this room, that hosts the Astronomical Board and where Dante first meets Jester, is separated by iron bars and can only be accessed through Giantwalker Chamber. The name of this area is changed to Astral Chamber from Mission 6 for unknown reasons.




 * Endless Infernum - a room that connects Chamber of Echoes, Giantwalker Chamber and Surge of Fortunas. The later is on separated by a pit with a catwalk above it, that is just above the Chamber of Sins. The catwalk collapses when Dante tries to cross it, but he manages to cross the pit using the Soul of Steel, which he then placed in the wall to open the doors to the Surge of Fortunas.




 * Giantwalker Chamber - a long and wide room, that seems to be a spiders' or other insects' lair, due to all the cobweb around. It is entered through Endless Infernum and leads to the separated portion of Incandenscent Space. The Gigapede, which travels using the tunnels in the walls, is first met and killed by Dante here. Later Jester introduces Blood-goyles to Dante in this place and creates a first portal to his dimension (Special Edition only).




 * Surge of Fortunas - a room with staircase leading to the elevator, that goes to the Azure Garden in the Central Temen-ni-gru. There is a mechanism, that activates the elevator in the room. While Dante rides the elevator, Hell Prides appear, and he has to fight them quickly before more arrive, and overload the elevator, making it return down, This room can only be entered from Endless Infefnum, because the elevator provides one-way trip. A secret mission "Untouchable" can be accessed here through a pattern that glows with red.




 * Heavenrise Chamber (bottom) - a lower part of the big vertical room with many Jump Pads, that allow the player to rise to the top. The bottom part begins with an initial jumping platform and has a door, leading to the Divine Library.




 * The Divine Library - a large library, that can only be accessed trough Heavenrise Chamber. It contains many Damned Pawns, of witch come to life when attacked, apart from two different-colored ones, that will remain dormant. When Dante first enters the library, the exit is shut by a blue seal, which disappears when he picks up the Orihalcon fragment, which is located underneath one of the pawns.

Central Temen-ni-gru



 * Azure Garden - a room with an open view, which leads to Firestorm Chamber, where Agni & Rudra are fought and is accessed through the elevator from Surge of Fortunas with no way to get back. Three Red Orbs are located on columns in the elevator room and Red Orb cache is located on a big rock column, Kick Jump or Air Hike to get it.




 * Firestorm Chamber - a big room, which is flooded with weapons and bones. There are two giant statues where Agni & Rudra and their wielders watch the room and don't let anyone pass. Dante obtains Agni & Rudra after defeating them.




 * Mute Goddess Chamber - a small room with four roads, with one being blocked with rocks and the other being completely destroyed. There is a stand with Artemis attached to it and three sockets for Essences. If you insert one - nothing will happen, if you insert two - the Artemis will shoot its laser and destroy the rock pile and let you proceed, if you insert all three - you will obtain Artemis.




 * Chamber of 3 Trials - a room which is split in three rooms. There are four signs, each colored differently to depict which trial you are going to. You need to pass at least two trials to proceed.




 * Trial of the Warrior - a room, that tests your fighting skills and where Essence of Fighting is located and which serves as an arena. Entering it will close the path behind you and Seven Hells will appear. They come in waves and are in Devil Trigger, and to remove it you must active two mechanisms. They work for a limited amount of time, so you will have to repeatedly activate it. After killing all enemies, walls, that blocked your way will retract and will let you take the Essence.




 * Trial of Skill - a long room, that tests your agility and where Essence of Technique is located. This room is filled with retracting spikes and are approaching you. You can use Trickster Style, as Dash and Sky Star give you invincibility frames, thus you will be able to "pass through" spikes. After you obtain Essence of Technique, Hell Gluttony and Blood-goyles (Or Soul Eaters if you are on Very Hard difficulty or higher) appear. The room does not become sealed and you can pass the fight.




 * Trial of Wisdom - a room which tests your wisdom and where Essence of Intelligence is located. This room has four other rooms and above them are heads with a certain amount of gems glowing. To pass this trial you must read the sign before going there, which says:"Use your lifetime experience: from the crawling infant; to the man standing tall; and finally to the old man - leaning on his cane." This means the amount of "legs" you use through your life. Go to room with four gems, then to room with two gems and finally to room with three gems. You will be put to room with pedestal, where Essence of Intelligence is standing.




 * The Dark Corridor - a room which leads to Heavenrise Chamber. There are several Red Orbs on the arks above stairs, and a destroyed balcony, where Dante catches falling Lady from. Near the door there are two Red Orbs which are obtained by Kick Jump and a Secret Mission "Death From Above" is located in the hole near the other door.




 * Heavenrise Chamber (middle) - middle part of the room. Connected to The Dark Corridor. You can freely move here by using Jump Pads and it is connected to Divine Library, The Dark Corridor and Pitch-black Void.

Upper Temen-ni-gru



 * Heavenrise Chamber (top) - highest part of the room. Connected to Pitch-black Void. As it is the highest point, there are no more Jump Pads here. You can only jump down or enter the room that is connected with this part.




 * Pitch-black Void - a room very similar to The Dark Corridor. It also contains destroyed balcony and arks above the stairs, where some Red Orbs are located. Connected with Skull Spire. There is an orb cache located on the column on the edge of the balcony.




 * Skull Spire - a long corridor-like room, where several Damned Pawns are located (There will be two additional Damned Knights on the Very Hard difficulty or higher). Connected with Moonlight Mile and Tranquil Souls Room. There are spikes, blocking the way to Moonlight Mile and two sockets for skulls. You must insert Cursed Skull to unlock the spikes and proceed. There are two fences and a Vital Star S  behind the right one.




 * Tranquil Souls Room - a tomb-like room filled with coffins and candles to light the room. Rooms automatically become sealed, however, demonic hands will not appear if you stand near them. There is a pedestal with a woman statue and approaching it will cause Hell Greed to appear. Defeating them will cause Siren's Shriek to drop on the pedestal, which is required to extinguish the flames, surrounding the Entryway (west) room. Coffins that are placed near shelves are destructible.


 * Lift Room - an ornamented room with an elevator and a control panel, that powers it up. You must place Orihalcon Fragment on the control panel to power up the generator. Then the elevator will be usable. The elevator will lead you to the first floor of Chamber of Echoes. There is a Rebellion (Yamato for Vergil) Combat Adjudicator located to the right from the stairs.




 * Moonlight Mile - a pathway, that leads to the Apex of Temen-ni-gru. There is a Red Orb Crystal in this room.

Temen-ni-gru Apex



 * Peak of Darkness - a circular room, where Vergil is first encountered. This room has multiple statues, that you can jump on and only Vergil can slice them in half with his sword attacks. This room cannot be revisited, only in its aftermath state.



Aftermath
Is a state of "activated" Temen-ni-gru. The Lair of Judgement rises to the very Apex of Temen-ni-gru and collects all the seven statues of sins, placed around the tower. With these statues, Arkham opened the portal to the Demon World and so, broke the seal Sparda once cast. This gives birth to new demons, such as Fallen. Lower part of the tower gets separated from the upper part. This changes the layout of the Tower. Also, some rooms become damaged or completely destroyed in the process. And some rise along with the tower.

Such rooms as Lair of Judgement, Gears of Madness, Altar of Evil Pathway, Incandescent Space, Subground Water Vein start to "work". This adds special functions to the room:


 * Lair of Judgement - risen to the apex of Temen-ni-gru, the center of the room now becomes a pathway to the Demon World. This room can only be visited intentionally in Mission 18, by going the opposite direction in Unsacred Hellgate.


 * Gears of Madness - the giant gears begin to rotate, making them sharp and dangerous. Standing on them will push you in the side they are rotating (clockwise or counter-clockwise). There is also a very small harmless gear in the room which goes up and down on the threaded rod.


 * Altar of Evil Pathway - giant rectangular blades come out of the slits in the room. They make a 90-degree slash, retract and attack again. The speed of the blades is scaling (the first pair having slow to the last having an almost one swing per second).


 * Incandescent Space - the section of gears now rotate and emit a white substance as they work. This effect does not affect room in any way and is just a visual effect.


 * Subground Water Vein - the portal in the room starts to function, which sends you to the Love Planet. The portal remains there, meaning you can go back to the Subground Water Vein.

Forbidden Land
The Forbidden Land is the lowest portions of Temen-ni-gru, and its entrance,, is just below ground level. However, the only intentional entrance to Forbidden Land available to Dante is an inactive elevator, so he instead reaches the area by crashing Leviathan through its roof. The Forbidden Land is divided into four sections guarded by the final gatekeepers. The first floor is guarded at both ends by Nevan and Beowulf, and is separated into the two sections by means of two swiveling bridges powered by the Neo Generator.

First Floor



 * Forbidden Land: Front - The entrance to the Forbidden Land,with a long staircase. This room is connected only with The Rotating Bridge. There is a Red Orb cache located in Leviathan' eye and a Red Orb Crystal located above the entrance door.




 * The Rotating Bridge - a room with a mechanical bridge, capable of rotating, changing destinations. To make it rotate, you must power it up by Neo-Generator. This room is connected with Provisions Storeroom, Marble Throughway, Spiral Corridor and Forbidden Land: Front.




 * Provisions Storeroom - a room, covered in spider web, serving as a nest to Arachne. They are encountered here. There is a small Green Orb located in the corner to the left of the door. Kick Jump to get it. Connected with Subterranean Garden.




 * Subterranean Garden - a room with a blue Sealed Door where you have to solve a puzzle, guiding light from one point to another. The shape you will get will look like a reversed "4". There is a Red Orb cache located on the top of the tablet before the puzzle and a Blue Orb Fragment in in a hole in the upper part of the room Connected with Subground Water Vein.




 * Subground Water Vein - a long pathway room with multiple Enigmas. This room is connected with Rounded Pathway. There is an inactive portal in the middle of the pathway, which leads to Love Planet.


 * Rounded Pathway - a simmetrical room with giant rotating blades placed to the sides. Hell Greed and Hell Gluttonies are encountered here. In the Mission 10, Dullahans are first encountered here. Connected with Subterranean Lake




 * Subterranean Lake - a very spacious open view room with a lot of items. There is a statue which requires a Stone Mask to be inserted in it. This opens a pathway to the the Neo-Generator, which is required to activate The Rotating Bridge and a Secret Mission: "Flight of the Demon". Also there is a Nevan Combat Adjudicator, a floor with a pedestal, where Spiral is located and a pathway to the Limestone Cavern which is covered by a large waterfall. Room is connected with another Rounded Pathway and with Limestone Cavern




 * Rounded Pathway - another room with rotating blades (but not the same), except they are bigger and placed not in pairs. Two Enigmas are guarding the room. Connected with Provisions Storeroom.




 * Provisions Storeroom - similar to the other one (but not the same). Ambrosia is located here on the pedestal. Picking it up spawns multiple Arachne.




 * Limestone Cavern - a dank tunnel with water dropping from above. This room has two split ways, one which leads to the Secret Room: "Destroyer" (it is located near the entrance in the hole above) and the other one contains two Red Orbs and a Devil Star (located to the right from entrance). Main way has Hell Prides, Hell Gluttonies guarding it (Blood-goyles on Very Hard difficulty or higher). The main way ends with a statue of nude woman where you have to insert Ambrosia in order to proceed. This opens a path to the Sunken Opera House. Just behind the door in this room is a wall with a lots of masks, including the Stone Mask.




 * Sunken Opera House - a room that resembles a stage built into a limestone cavern, and features a stage complete with speakers, stage lights, spotlights, and pyrotechnic effects. This room serves as a battle stage with Nevan. After defeating her, Dante obtains Nevan (Devil Arm). You have to proceed to the door, that has become unsealed.




 * Marble Throughway - after powering the The Rotating Bridge with Neo-Generator, this room becomes available. This is a small corridor, where Arkham is found lying in blood (although Lady considers him dead, he is not in actuality).




 * Gears of Madness - a room with giant gears. Their teeth are very sharp but they are inactive and do not move in Temen-ni-gru's normal state. Near the exit there is a hidden balcony with a strange gear with a distorted portal in the middle. This is a passage to a Secret Mission:"Hang 10"




 * Altar of Evil Pathway - a long corridor with slits for blades. They are placed throughout the room. Soul Eaters are first encountered here. Leads to Altar of Evil.




 * Altar of Evil - an altar with three "freakish looking" faces. The room contains a balcony and two stone blocks. The doors become sealed and to unseal them you must move two stone blocks to the hole with gem over it. There are two blocks on each side of the balcony. One of them is hidden behind a cracked wall. To move them, use melee attacks. When you've done it Hell Vanguard and multiple Soul Eaters will appear.




 * Temperance Wagon (Station)- a room with a rail road and a large wagon, which takes you to the *Torture Chamber. This room contains a destroyed statue, which can be moved with melee attack. Underneath it is a small storage with a Green Orb and a Holy Water. There is also an Agni & Rudra Combat Adjudicator located underneath the staircase, near the entrance.




 * Temperance Wagon (Moving) - while taking you to Torture Chamber, on your way multiple Hells will jump from passing wagons onto yours and attack you. They will also teleport onto your wagon (Much like they did in Mission 01). You will also encounter Enigmas on passing wagons but they will not jump out.




 * Temperance Wagon (End of the line) - the wagon stops here and can't go any further. If you enter wagon again, it will take you back to the station. The room itself is a big staircase, which leads to Torture Chamber. Underneath is a pool of lava.




 * Torture Chamber - a jail-like room with lava canals at the edges of the room. There are two giant cages to the sides near the entrance. In the end of the room, there is an item on the pedestal (Haywire Neo-Generator), but Beowulf appears and prevents you from getting it. After the battle you will be able to get it. It is used to power up The Rotating Bridge.




 * Spiral Corridor - a room with a spiral staircase, leading to the Underground Arena and its boss - Geryon. There is a portal which leads you to second fight with Jester but this one is optional.

Second Floor

 * Spiral Corridor - a room with a spiral staircase, leading to the Underground Arena and its boss - Geryon. There is a portal which leads you to second fight with Jester but this one is optional.




 * Underground Arena - a long bridge where Geryon is fought. If you take some of its health down (About 10%), the bridge will collapse and you will be transported to the gladiator arena-like room. After the battle, Dante obtains Quicilver Style. Connected with Effervescence Corridor. In the end of Mission 13, it is revealed that the arena is located directly under the Chamber of Echoes, explaining its roundness.




 * Effervescence Corridor - a small corridor (very similar to Marble Throughway), where several Damned Pawns and Damned Bishops are fought. Leads to Spiral Staircase.




 * Spiral Staircase - a room with a very long spiral staircase, which ends with a corridor, leading to Lux-luminous Corridor and also connected with Hell's Highway. One of the lamps in the staircase will glow red, instead of white, which is a path to Secret Mission:"Tough Guys".

Third Floor

 * Spiral Staircase - a room with a very long spiral staircase, which ends with a corridor, leading to Lux-luminous Corridor and also connected with Hell's Highway. One of the lamps in the staircase will glow red, instead of white, which is a path to Secret Mission:"Tough Guys".




 * Lux-luminous Corridor - a long corridor, lit by lamps. There are six Damned Pawns and two Damned Bishops, standing to the sides of the corridor. This room is connected with Vestibule and Obsidian Path. The back of the room contains a Gold Orb.




 * Vestibule - a room with another light puzzle. Orihalcon is located here. But to obtain it you need to solve the puzzle first. To solve it you need to guide the light to the statue, located in the other room. There is a cracked wall, preventing the light from coming through and also leads to the light statue. Destroy it with your melee weapon. Then guide the light. When you solved it, the gate will open and let you take Orihalcon. There is a hole in the corridor wall, where Orihalcon is located. In the hole, there will be a stone face, which is an path to Secret Mission:"Target Practice".




 * Obsidian Path - a room with a big, mechanized door. To open it, you must insert Orihalcon. The door leads to the Lair of Judgement. There is a big White Orb in the back of the room and a Nevan Combat Adjudicator if you go down the right corridor.




 * Lair of Judgement - the final and the main room of the Forbidden Land, and the "control room" of the tower itself. This is a circular room, with a ritual mechanism, which requires a Perfect Amulet, Sparda's and human's blood to break the seal. Vergil is encountered here for the second time, wielding Beowulf and is able to use his Devil Trigger.




 * Hell's Highway - a labyrinth-like room with retracting doors. This room split into other smaller rooms. In them, Damned Chessmen will appear. When you clear the room some doors will open and let you pass. You have to continue this process, until you open all doors. This room can be accessed only in the aftermath state of Temen-ni-gru.

Background
The Temen-ni-gru's name is drawn from the Neo-Sumerian, named "E-temen-nigur(u)", literally "house whose foundation creates terror" in Sumerian. It was a structure built to serve as both an administrative center of the city, and as a shrine to Ur's patron deity, the moon god Nanna, or ; Temen-ni-gru's use to worship Sin as immorality is a pun on this.

The Temen-ni-gru's design draws heavily from the, especially the painting of it made by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. While the Tower of Babel was built to invade Heaven, the Temen-ni-gru was built as a gateway to Hell.

The seven demonic bell statues left throughout the tower are a reference to the : Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. These seven concepts also appear in the Divine Comedy as layers of Purgatory, the mountain which Dante climbs to heaven, just as the bells are each found at different floors of the tower.

Trivia

 * 612664395a40232133447d33247d383335343835343732.jpg design and the structure for Temen-ni-gru could be inspired after the Bible's Tower of Babel.
 * In the Devil May Cry 3:Special Edition Concept Art gallery, Temen-Ni-Gru has an unknown room where Dante is depicted between six, mysterious blue poles that are slanted and was going to run between two demonic statues that are next to an opening and he would progress to the next stage.